Do-it-yourself depression relief

Q: I’m interested in the amino acid therapy for depression that you’ve written about before. However, I live in a very rural area and there are no natural medicine practitioners within several hundred miles of my home. So, unfortunately, having my individual amino acid levels tested, as you recommend, isn’t really feasible for me. Is there any way I could begin a supplement program without the pre-testing?

Dr. Wright: While it’s always ideal to know your own “starting point,” it is possible to undergo amino acid treatment without pre-testing, since it’s a very safe program. Some things to keep in mind:

Make sure to include all eight essential amino acids in any amino acid supplement program: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

I’m aware of only one supplement, called EgSentials, that contains all eight essential amino acids. EgSentials is patterned after the balance of amino acids naturally found in eggs, which are generally considered to follow the best “complete protein” pattern. EgSentials is available from many natural food stores and other compounding pharmacies. You can also order this product from Biotech Pharmacal (501-443-9148) or from the Tahoma Clinic Dispensary (888-893-6878).

For the best results, I also recommend using extra quantities of vitamin B12 (1,000 micrograms daily when injected, 5,000 micrograms daily if taken orally) in conjunction with the amino acids.

Also, be sure to take extra folic acid at the same time as the vitamin B12. Take 2 1/2 to 5 milligrams of folic acid daily when injected or 5 to 10 milligrams daily when taken orally.

Keep in mind that it usually takes a minimum of four to six weeks to observe early results, and longer to obtain the best results.